Doorstep and stringer



Sepit. 5, 1933. w. c. MEREDITH DOORSTEP AND STRINGER Filed Nov. 20, 1931 v yz/fi'am C/Vemd/WA as mwmw Patented Sept. 5, 1933 DO0RSTEP AND STRINGEB William C. Meredith, Atlanta, Ga.

Application November 20, '1931 Serial No. 576,361

6 Claims." (01. 20-10) This invention relates to stairway constructions, and particularly to stringer and riser constructions used in Stairways.

It has for its-object to provide an improved structure and method of making stairs, and stringers and risers for stairs in the practice of which a stairway is developed; the individual elements of which may be made and assembled at small cost and labor, and the structure resulting having the advantages of compactness and ease of assembling with marked improvement in the matter of strength and rigidity.

This result is accomplished by following the novel structure and method of making parts of that structure herein disclosed.

In order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the stock or strip of material of which the risers for the stairway are cut, the lines of cutting of these risers being indicated in dotted lines. v

Figure 2 is a section of the strip of material shown in Figure 1 on the line 22 of Figure I.

Figure 3 is a view in side elvation of so much of an assembled stairway, as will serve to illustrate my invention.

Figure 4 is a view in cross section of a portion of the stairway including the tread, riser, and stringer on substantially the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a stringer section, the risers and treads being indicated in dotted lines.

, Referring to the drawing by numerals, like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, 10 indicates a strip of material or stock from which the risers are cut, this strip being provided at its edges with stringer engaging means 11, here shown as an integral tongue and groove member, the tongue member being here shown, although it will be understood that the groove member'or other suitable stringer engaging means might be adopted.

The risers 12 are formed from this strip by severing it along lines indicated by the dotted lines in Figure l. The result of this is that successive risers are formed without any waste of stock, and it will be further observed that the stringer engaging means, here shown as the tongue 11, is formed from staggered portions of opposite sides of the strip of material or stock.

The stringers 13 are formed of stock of suitable width and thickness, and on their upper edges are provided with means 14, here shown as a groove,

to take the engaging means on the risers, here shown as the tongue 11.

When the parts are assembled, as shown in Figure 3, the tongues 11 of the risers will be engaged with the groove 14 of the stringers and then fastened in any suitable manner as by the nails 15. Thereafter, the usual tread members 16 can be secured to the tops of the risers.

It will be observed that, following the method and construction here shown the risers .may be easily produced'without the use of any particular instruments and without any loss of stock, as is the case where following the present practices. the stringers and risers are cut from one piece of stock with the resultant waste between alternate risers. Furthermore, by providing the interengaging means on the risers and stringers, they may be assembled in perfect alignment as the tongues 11 and the grooves 14 bring the parts to proper position and, furthermore, they will be maintained in that properly aligned condition without danger of lateral displacement while the risers are being nailed in place.

A further advantage by reason of the method and construction here disclosed is that, as will be clear from Figure 3, when the stringer, risers and treads are assembled, there is an interlocking of the parts so that the entire assembly may be held by a comparatively few fasteners. With the risers 12 engaged with the stringers 13, as described, so that they are aligned and held against lateral movement, and the treads 16 secured to the risers with each tread engaging the lower end of the next succeeding risers, it will be seen that there is an interlocking of the parts so that all that is necessary to hold this interlocked structure in place is a sufficient number of nails 15 to hold the risers and their supported treads from slipping in the grooves of the stringers, and a sufficient number of nails or other suitable fastening means to hold the tread 16 in place. In short lengths of Stairways, all that would be necessary to keep the interlocked structure in place wouldbe fastening nails or other suitable means at the bottom of the assembled risers to prevent relative movement in the tongue and groove connection and of course the frictional engagement of the tongue and groove would also tend to prevent movement.

The whole construction is one calculated to r eliminate waste and to facilitate the ready and accurate assembling of the elements necessary to the making up of the stairway.

Such changes as are within the skill of the mechanic may be made without departing from the range of the invention.

2. The new and improved method of making,

risers for stairs comprising first shaping the opposite edges of the strip of material from which the risers are cut to provide means for engaging a stair stringer or riser support, and thereafter severing such strip transversely along lines to form risers, each having an edge shaped to engage a stringer or support, the shaped edges of succes sive risers being formed of staggered portions of the opposite shaped edges of the strip of material.

3. The new and improved method of .making risers for stairs comprising, first shaping the opposite edges of the strip of material from which the risers are cut with one member of .a tongue and groove connection for engaging a stair stringer or riser support, and thereafter severing such strip transversely along lines to form risers,

each having an edge shaped for making a tongue and groove connection with a stringer or support, the shapededges of successive risers being formed of staggered portions of the shaped opposite edges of the strip of material.

4. The new and improved method of making risers for stairs comprising, first shaping the opposite edges of the strip of material from which the risers are cut with a tongue for engaging a grooved stair stringer or riser support, and thereafter severing such strip transversely along lines to form risers, each having a tongue to engage a grooved stringer or support, the tongued edges of successive risers being formed of staggered portions of the opposite tongued edges of the strip of material.

5. A stair structure comprising stringers having grooves in the upper surface thereof, independent risers having tongues on their lower surfaces arranged to engage said grooves whereby to align the stringersand risers and prevent relative lateral shift, means for fastening said risers and stringers together, and treads mounted on said WILLIAM C. MEREDITH. 

